Just because you’re travelling, doesn’t mean you need to leave your furry little sidekick at home. At Short and Suite BNB, nearly every one of our Airbnbs is pet friendly. We adore pets of all kinds! (Just don’t bring your alligator to our Airbnb)
So why did we choose to make our Airbnbs pet-friendly?
Other than animals being the best (a quick stop to the dog section of Youtube will confirm), we’ve found that pet-friendly properties attract caring guests.
After all, looking after a pet is not easy (again, a quick stop to Youtube will confirm), and we’ve found that guests who are willing to take care of, travel with and love an animal are never an issue. Studies have even shown that dog owners are happier, which is great for Airbnb hosts.
Of course there are some risks to operating a pet-friendly Airbnb, such as damage or noise. However, we’ve typically found that our guest’s pets are seasoned travellers and generally “good boys”.
In the years we’ve been letting our guests bring their pets, the most damage we’ve ever found was a bit of leftover kibble.
Allowing pets is also a way to attract more guests as an Airbnb property manager. TripAdvisor says that 53% of guests travel with their pets. And Moneywise recently shared a list of the top 10 things guests are looking for in an Airbnb. Pet friendliness was number four.
Why turn them away, when we could give them a place to stay in a market with so few pet-friendly spaces? With such little competition in pet-friendly Airbnbs, this is a no-brainer.
You should make sure your policies are tailored to pet owners if you are going to go pet-friendly. Some pet-friendly hosts set limits on the amount of pets (ex: no more than two). We recommend providing your guests with waste bags (but make sure they know they are responsible for bagging any waste left during their stay).
It’s also important to consider the guests that come after pet-owners. At Short and Suite BNB, we have our spaces professionally cleaned after every stay. No leftover fur here! Consider investing in a professional cleaning company to make the job easier.
If you want to make more money as an Airbnb host, consider going pet-friendly. You won’t regret making the jump. You might even be lucky enough to meet some of these adorable little guys during check-in.
